Mark your calendar: August 1 is National Maj Jongg Day.
"A game that gives us a chance to spend good times with family and friends is always loved."
After months of weekly Zoom gatherings, this month, our weekly Mah Jongg games have resumed. Yesterday, it was sweet to hear the familiar clicking of tiles and conversations.
😁💖💃
Singing Birthday to my hubby ... a man of God, faithful hubby, loving dad, attentive grandpa, encouraging brother, uncle, loyal friend, mystery reading, ESPN watching, ice cream loving, Green Egg cooking, and loving mentor... and so much on.
Singing Happy Birthday
For the past four Wednesdays, I have attended a weekly Bible Study that focused on the Feasts of the God. Bible study is more than an academic exercise, it can be life changing and transforming. God's word transcends every culture, language, and ethnicity. The Word of God is timeless.
While this study ends, I will be intentional in staying connected in a weekly gathering.
Are you surprised in how many ways we are now able to attend classes, workshops, meetings, and reunions? For example, this class met in the morning, in the evening, and was available via ZOOM. We have no excuse to be uninformed.
We are blessed.
Here is one more resource you will enjoy. Visit the site: Well-Watered Women. You might add this resource to your Spiritual ToolBox.
This class was a blessing. Thank you Sharon!
"I have sometimes call this 'double listening'. Listening to the voice of God in scripture, and listening to the voices in the modern world, with all their cries of anger, pain, and despair."
Every time we read God's Word we have the opportunity to hear from God. Even in times of distress, it is vital that we listen to the cries in the world... we cannot turn a deaf ear to cries in our community.
My desk is covered with notes, prayers, questions, and my Bible.
We give dogs time we can spare,
space we can spare,
and love we can spare.
In turn they give their all.
This is the best deal man ever made."
M. Facklam
Piper and Snickers are the pets of the week.
We have know each other for over a decade. I'm reflecting on our hundreds of conversations. What do we talk about? ... salaries, music, cheese, music, friends, pregnancies, childbirth, raising sons, politics, hair color, vitamins, cooking, cleaning tips, driving, car accidents, advice we give to our children, families, parents, policing in our communities, COVID, work, high school, college, training, marriage, husbands, girls friends, church, baptisms, politics, deacons, Bible, encouraging our children to make godly decisions, and hard work to achieve their goals.
When we finish our visits... I always look and feel better.
Melissa is my hair stylist.
"Blessed are the hairdressers
for they bring out
the beauty in others. "
Source: unknown
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes; first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed - the a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
Romans 1: 16 -17
"True friendship ought never conceal what it thinks."
St. Jerome
"Jo" is my go-to-young friend. She is breathe of fresh air to me. She is honest, intelligent, funny, reliable, and tech savvy. If I need an opinion regarding an a purchase, I text her pictures. Why? Because, I trust her to give me her truthful opinion.
Fun Facts about my friend:
Graduate of Georgia Tech
Favorite Vacation Spot: Los Angles
Favorite Colors: Purple, Pink and Green
What Brings her joy: Helping people
What do you do self care: Watching useless television and spending time with friends
Favorite Scripture Jeremiah 29: 11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plan to give you hope and a future."
"The first service one owes to others in a community involves listening to them. Just as our love for God begins with listening to God's Word, the beginning of love for others is learning to listen to them. God's love for others is learning to listen to them. God's love for us is shown by the fact that God not only gives God's Word, but also lends us God's ear ... We do God's work, for our brothers and sisters when we learn to listen to them."
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
A prayer of Moses the man of God
Psalm 90
"LORD, you have been our dwelling place
throughout all generations.
Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
You turn people back to dust,
saying, "Return to dust your mortals."
A thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by.
or like a watch in the night.
Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death -
they are like the new grass of the morning:
in the morning it springs up new,
but by evening it is dry and withered.
We are consumed by your anger
and terrified by your indignation.
You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your
presence.
All our days pass away under your
wrath;
we finish our years with a moan.
Our day may come to seventy years,
or eighty, if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble
and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, we fly away.
If only we knew the power of your anger!
Your wrath is as great as the fear
that is your due.
Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Relent, Lord! How long will it be?
Have compassion on your servants.
Satisfy us in the morning with your
unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad
all our days.
Make us glad for as many day you have afflicted us,
for as many year as we have seen trouble.
May your deeds be shown to your servants,
your splendor to their children.
May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;
establish the work of our hand for us
-
yes, establish the work of our hands.
Adobe defintion
noun
a kind of clay used as a building material, typically in the form of sun-dried bricks
Adobe is this week pet. I am so grateful that Adobe's owner was so gracious and allowed me take this picture. I think Adobe is an interesting name for a pet. Then, I read this quote:
"A house is made
of brick and mortar,
but home
is made by the people
who live
there."
M.K Soni
Somehow it make sense... well kinda of.
"Cash as a physical entity will virtually cease to exist, with coins and checkbooks consigned to museums. As people conduct their financial transactions on hand-held devices made secure by advanced biometrics, even tipping be done electronically."
James P. Gorman
Evidence does indicate that there is a trend toward a cashless society. In spite of the trends, I think most people still like coins and paper currency. What do you think? I continue to roll coins and deposit the coins in my bank. I like saving coins. 😀😏 Does that make me old? 💚
Are you slowly returning to a sense of normalcy in your life? Do you continue to attend Zoom gatherings? What in person gatherings are you adding to your life?
For the past year, I have limited my contact with people who are in my "bubble" What about you?
"Nothing takes the place of face-to-face connecting with a friend over a cup of coffee."
Today, I attended my first 'in person' Bible Study.
It was sweet to be back in person. I trust you soon will be able to safely reconnect with friends and family.
